This project will examine androgen dependent and independent biochemical functions of the rat ventral prostate in order to evaluate the consequence of senescence-associated reductions in the complement of prostatic androgen receptors upon the capability of senescent prostatic cells to regulate the expression of genetic information. The experiment will correlate the specific activity of prostatic 5 alpha-reductase, acid phosphatase, cytochrome c reductase, L-ornithine decarboxylase, S-adenosyl L-methionine decarboxylase, and polyamine content with quantitation of total prostatic androgen receptor content. The determinations will be performed upon prostatic tissue obtained from young-mature (90- to 120-day-old) and senescent (24-month-old) inbred AXC rats.